Tie plate



Sept. 15, 1931. c. E. ENNIS ET AL TIE PLATE /iarles 151 27727219, Jmas W fiqy/mlds,

1N] "ENTORS Filed June 18, 1930 A TTORNEY.

l atented Sept. 15, 1931 more stars CHARLES EDWARD ENNIS, OF EL. PASO, TEXAS, AND JAMES WILLIAM RE'iZ'NOLDS, OF IJIARYSVILLE, KANSAS TIE PLATE Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to rail tie plates, and has for an object the provision of a simple tie plate provided at the outer side of its rail seat with spike holes and with a. longitudinal rib forming an inwardly facing shoulder for contact with the base flange of the rail, said spike holes being entirely outwardly of the plane of said shoulder to prevent the shanks of the spikes from being rail-cut or worn and weakened by outward pressure and vertical rubbing of the base flange of the rail thereon.

' A further object is to extend the rib across the spike holes at the inner side of the latter to form elevated bearings for the inner sides of the spike heads whereby the latter are held slightly spaced from the base flange of the rail to permit limited vertical movement of the rail, and to minimize pulling action of the rail on the spikes and consequent loosening of the spikes and damage to the tie.

A still further object is to provide the under side of the tie plate with anchoring ribs having rounded edges to embed themselves in the surface of the tie without material injury to the tie but so as to effectively prevent creeping of the tie plate.

Another object is to form the under side of the tie plate with shallow upwardly arched portions between the anchoring ribs so as to provide clearance to accommodate any material of the tie crowded therein due to embedding of the ribs in the tie, thereby more securely anchoring the tie plate against creeping.

1930. Serial No. 462,040.

form of tie plate embodying the present invention.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 55 of Figure 4; and

Figures 6 and 7 are bottom plan views drawn on a reduced scale and showing further modifications of the arrangement of anchoring ribs on the under side of the tie plate.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 in dica es a track rail having the usual tread portion 6 and base flanges 7. The rail 5 is sup )orted on a wooden tie 8 and secured to the latter by spikes 9 whose heads 10 overlie the margins of the base flanges 7 of the rail. The present tie plate is indicated at 11 and is interposed between the rail and the tie in the usual way.

As shown, the tie plate 11 has the general form of a flat plate with an intermediate top surface portion 12 forming the rail seat and provided at the outer side of said seat with an upstanding longitudinal rib l3 shaped to form an inwardly facing shoulder for contact with the edge of the adjacent outer base flange of the rail to resist outward lateral pressure on the latter. The tie plate is provided with any desired number of holes for spikes, certain of the holes being located at he outer side of the rail as at 14, and the other holes being located at the inner side thereof as at 14a.

The holes 14 are located entirely outwardly of the plane of the shoulder formed by the inner wall or face of the adjacent rib 13 to prevent the shanks of the spikes driven therethrough from being raii-cut or worn and weakened by the outward lateral pressure and vertical rubbing of the adjacent base flange of the rail thereon. The rib 13 is extended across the inner sides of the spike holes 14, as at 17, and may be of a height to a form elevated bearings for the inner sides of the heads of the adjacent spikes, whereby said spike heads are held slightly spaced from and above the adjacent base flange of the rail to permit limited vertical movement of the rail and to minimize pulling action of the rail on said spikes and consequent damage to the tie. The clearance between the spike heads and the base flanges of the rail is clear- 1y shown in Figure 2. The tie plate of Figure 1 is shown as further provided with an up standing longitudinal rib 13 forming an inwardly facing shoulder for contact with the edge of the adjacent inner base flange of the rail, the said rib being extended across the inner sides of the spike holes 14a as at 17a and being of a height to term elevated bearings for the inner sides of the heads of the adjacent spikes. However, the ribs 13 may be omitted, and the spike holes 14a may be arranged so that the shanks of the spikes driven therethrough will engage the edge of the inner base flange of the rail. Also, while the ribs 13 and 13 are shown as extending the entire length of the tie plate, either or both may consist or" short rib sections 13a merely extending along the inner sides of the adjacent spike holes 14 and 14a.

The under side of the tie plate may be provided with anchoring ribs 18 having rounded edges. The ribs 18, so formed and arranged, will embed themselves in the surface or the tie without material injury to the tie, but so as to efiectively prevent creeping of the tie plate. The ribs 18 in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive have parallel angularly extending portions, while those in Figure 7 are straight and parallel and extend in one direction. If desired, the under side of the tie plate may be formed with upwardly arched portions 19 between the anchoring ribs 18 so as to provide clearance to accommodate any material of the tie crowded therein due to embedding of the ribs 18 in the tie. This permits the ribs to very freely embed themselves in the tie to securely anchor the tie plate against creeping.

In Figures l and 5, short upstanding rib sections 13a are provided at the inner side of the rail seat 12 and extend across the adjacent spike holes 1450 to protect the adjacent spikes from wear. The arran ement of ribs to contact both base flangesor the rail provides for very firmly holding the rail in place and minimizing creeping of the rail. In this instance, the ribs are low in heightso that the heads of the spikes overlie and contact the base flanges of the rail to firmly hold the latter against tilting. Holes 20 may be provided in the opposite sides of the tie plate to receive screw spikes or nails 21 for anchoring the tie plate to the tie against rattling. However, the holes 20 may be omitted.

Other minor changes are contemplated vithin the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

hat we claim as new is:

A tie plate provided at the outer side of the rail seat with spike holes and with a rib forming an inwardly-facing shoulder for contact with the adjacent outer base flange of the rail, said spike holes being located entirely outwardly of the plane of said shoulder, said rib being extended across the inner side of said spike holes and being of a height to form elevated hearings to contact and hold the inner side of the adjacent spike heads slightly spaced from and above the adjacent base flange of the rail.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

CHARLES EDIVARD ENNIS. JAMES WILLIAM REYNOLDS. 

